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House State Affairs reports HB139 and HB104 after committee votes; HB104 amended to add trafficking victims but expansion to judicial officers fails
Summary
The House State Affairs Committee on April 22, 2025, reported two measures — HB139 and HB104 — advancing them with committee recommendations; HB104 was amended to explicitly add trafficking victims but a proposed expansion to invite judicial officers and public defenders into the program failed on a roll call.
The House State Affairs Committee met April 22, 2025, and took formal action on two measures: House Bill 139 (renting the Governor’s Mansion) and House Bill 104 (the Address Confidentiality Program).
House Bill 139 — Representative Stapp’s bill on renting the Governor’s Mansion — was moved from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes and reported out without recorded objection. The committee instructed staff to sign the accompanying paperwork required for the committee report.
House Bill 104 — Representative Donna Mears’s bill creating an address confidentiality program within the Department of Administration for people at risk (for example victims of domestic violence) — returned to the committee with two proposed amendments. Representative Vance offered Amendment 1 to add human trafficking and sex‑trafficking victims to the list of qualifying categories; the sponsor indicated the crimes were already covered under the bill’s existing ‘‘crimes against a person’’ language but did not oppose clarifying language, and the committee adopted Amendment 1 by voice/no‑objection.
Representative Vance then offered Amendment 2 to add judicial officers and assistant public defenders to eligible participants. After committee discussion about fiscal impact and program scope, the committee voted on Amendment 2. The roll call on the amendment was: Representative Moore — Yes; Vice Chair Storey — not present; Representative Vance — Yes; Representative McCabe — not present; Representative Holland — No; Representative Hemshute — No; Chair Kerrick — No. The tally was 2 yeas, 3 nays; Amendment 2 failed.
After the amendment votes, Vice Chair Storey moved to report HB104 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes; the motion carried without recorded objection and the committee directed staff to complete the report signatures.
Sponsor Representative Mears told the committee the bill’s primary impetus is protection for victims of domestic violence and similar crimes and cautioned against casting too broad a net at program start: “The primary impetus of this is for protection of, folks from sexual assault, from domestic abuse,” she said, adding that program expansion could be considered after initial implementation and evaluation.
The committee placed both HB139 and HB104 on its report to be forwarded for further legislative consideration; no final floor action on either bill occurred at the committee meeting.
Votes at a glance
- Amendment 1 to HB104 (add human trafficking and sex‑trafficking): moved by Representative Vance; adopted (no recorded objection). - Amendment 2 to HB104 (add judicial officers and assistant public defenders): moved by Representative Vance; failed on roll call, 2 yeas, 3 nays (Moore Yes; Vance Yes; Holland No; Hemshute No; Chair Kerrick No). - Motion to report HB139 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes: adopted (no recorded objection). - Motion to report HB104 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes: moved by Vice Chair Storey; adopted (no recorded objection).
